TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: One of the hardcore criminals in the State Rudolf Gomes, who along with 13 undertrials had escaped from a judicial lock up way back in 2007, was traced and arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) sleuths on Sunday. Gomes and his accomplice Jackson Dhadel were convicted for the murder of one Godwin D’Silva in the capital.
He has been remanded to police custody for interrogation as he is likely to know whereabouts of the other absconders. Sources in the department said he will also be investigated for committing any offense, during the seven years gap, if any.
On September 16, 2007 when the prisoners were brought to the jail lobby for prayers during the Ganesh Chaturthi festivity, 14 of them had assaulted three guards and made good their escape. The guards were, at that moment, distributing ‘prasad’ when the prisoners attacked them and ran away from the main gate. The prisoners had even locked four guards in the cell before escaping.
A jailor and four guards were suspended even as three undertrials Sajjan Khan (Jaipur), Rajnesh Rai (Hubli) and Sameer Khan (Hyderabad) were soon caught at Savordem railway station. A statewide hunt was launched for the remaining including wanted murderers Gomes and Dade, Shantaram Raikar (who was then being tried for allegedly killing his new-born child) and Sunil Singh (chargesheeted for theft and robberies).
